Newsletter for week ending 12th June 2015

Woodlands Residential Visit
This week all pupils in Class 3, accompanied by Miss Raval and Miss Peet throughout the week along with Mrs Shortman, Mrs Scragg and Mrs Turner for part of the week, having been having an amazing experience at Woodlands Outdoor Education Centre, near Glasbury on Wye. Updates have been posted onto the school website each day, however all members of the school community may like to know that the children (and adults!) have been carrying out a range of activities including mountain walking, caving and canoeing, learning about the local geography and geology as well as taking part in a wide variety of team building activities and challenges. When Mrs Turner visited on Wednesday, all Stadhampton pupils were happy and proud of their achievements! Further details of the visit will be in next week’s newsletter, following the return of the group. We are already considering our plans for a return visit in two years’ time!

Visit by Polish pupils, parents and teachers, 19th -23rd June 2015
For over ten years we have maintained close links with a school in Hazlach, southern Poland. During this time the two schools have formed a partnership which has included exchange visits for staff as well as opportunities for exchange visits for pupils accompanied by parents and teachers, our most recent visit to Hazlach being in May 2014. From Friday 19th to Tuesday 23rd June we welcome a group of 12 guests from Hazlach, 4 pupils, 4 parents and 4 members of staff including the Headteacher, to Stadhampton School. Our guests will be staying with host families and members of staff from school and the Polish children will be spending a considerable amount of time in school, experiencing school life for Stadhampton pupils. We have a number of events organised outside of school too. Amongst these, host families have organised a day trip to Brighton on Saturday 20th June. If any other families should be interested in joining us please contact Mrs Turner. Thank you.

Swimming at the Abbey Sports Centre
A reminder that swimming sessions for Class 3 pupils will begin on Monday 15th June. They will have a further 4 sessions on 22nd & 29th June, and 6th & 13th July. As always, we are most grateful to receive a ‘voluntary contribution’ towards the cost of the swimming transport of £2 per swimming session. Cheques for swimming contributions should be made payable to Stadhampton Primary School, please. Thank you.

Important information about swimming in the school pool – please get ready!
Please could ALL pupils have their swimming kit in school from Monday (15th June) ready for use in the school pool. The onus will be on families to ensure that swimming kit is in school each day, otherwise pupils may miss out on opportunities to swim. Pupils who do not have their swimming kit in school will sit in the pool area and read when their class has their turn in the school pool. Thank you.


Final Forest School Session for Year 6 Pupils
The last Forest School session for Year 6 pupils will be on Thursday 25th June. Mrs Elliott and Mrs Gravett thought that it would be nice for pupils to have their lunch at Forest School and a mini party to celebrate. Please could parents/carers send in a ‘voluntary contribution’ of £1.50 to help with the cost of the food which will be cooked on the campfire. The children will not need a packed lunch or school meal on that day as well. Please send the money in a separate envelope to the school office. Thank you.

Forest School Reminder for Reception Pupils
Reception pupils will have Forest School sessions on the afternoons of Thursday 25th June and Thursday 2nd July. Please could parents ensure that pupils have suitable old clothing in school for those two dates.

Recorders
A reminder that recorder lessons will begin on Monday 15 June for all pupils in Classes 2 and 3. Please could everyone in these classes make sure that they have their own recorder and book in school each Monday from then until the end of term. Recorders and books are available to purchase from the school office if necessary - recorders cost £6.50 and books £4.99 each (the price we pay for them). Thank you.

Gardening Club Plant Sale
Thank you to everyone who purchased plants from our recent plant sale. We are pleased to report that £38.50 was raised which will be used to buy seeds, compost and other resources for the gardening club when they need them!

Nits
Thank you to a parent of a child in Class 1 for alerting us about finding nits in their child’s hair. Please could everyone check their child’s hair this weekend and treat if necessary. The only way to really address a nits outbreak is for everyone to do this. Thank you.

Sports Night on Friday 10th July
Sports Night is one of the highlights of the school year and we expect all families to attend, if at all possible. Please let either Mrs Manzie or Mrs Hopkins know as soon as possible if your child will not be able to attend so that the teams can be balanced appropriately. Pupils will be told which team they are in for Sports Night during Sports Week (w/c 22nd June) so that they will know in plenty of time what colour T-shirt they will need to wear. Sports Night takes place in the evening rather than during the school day so that everyone can attend. It is one of the main fundraising events of the year for the PTA, as they run a bar (very reasonable prices), and a BBQ as well. Parents are asked to support the bar and the BBQ and not bring their own food or drinks please. Pupils will need to arrive at school for 6pm so that the races may begin promptly at 6.30pm. The bar is open at 6pm too! More details will be provided nearer the time but we wanted to make sure, well in advance, that all families have the date of this very special event in their diaries.

Netball Club
Due to a clash with the ‘Festival of Voices’, several pupils have not been able to take part in Netball Club. The Icknield students (and Mrs Manzie) have kindly offered to put on an extra session on Wednesday 24th June so that all Year 3-6 pupils who wish to, may join the current club attendees. The cost will be £1.50 for the extra session (for all attendees) and will finish at 4pm.


PTA NEWS:
Sponsored Family Fun Run - Saturday 13th June, 2pm-4pm. It promises to be a nice afternoon, with an obstacle course and goody bag for all the children who take part. You are also very welcome to come along just for tea/coffee and cake if you prefer. We look forward to seeing you there!

Sports Night BBQ - Friday 10th July - tickets will be on sale from Monday for our annual BBQ at Sports Night. Please buy tickets for BBQ items in advance, priced at £2.50 each for a sausage, burger or veggie option. Please see Anna Harries, who will be outside Class 1 every morning and afternoon from Monday. Please note tickets are limited.

End of Term Disco - Thursday 16th July, 6 – 7.30pm. Please note we will not be issuing tickets for the disco. If your child would like to come, please return your consent form with payment of £3 per child to Anna Harries outside Class 1 each morning and afternoon from Monday. Please look out for consent letters in book bags on Friday.

The PTA would like to thank parents for their support for all our events. Without your support we would not be able to help the school purchase the additional extras they would like to have. If you have any ideas or requests for future fundraisers, please see a committee member, a list of whom is on the notice board outside Class 1.

Our next PTA meeting is on Tuesday 7th July, 8PM at The Crown. Everyone is welcome.

Friday Cake Club
Congratulations to Jude Bradley, the lucky winner of last week's cake, kindly donated by Mrs Drake. A reminder to Mrs Payne that she is on the rota for 19th June.

DIARY DATES:
Monday 15 June Mobile Library visit
Tuesday 30 June African Dance Workshop – presentation for parents at 14.40pm.
Wednesday 1 July Fair Trade stall after school from 15.20 to 15.50pm
Friday 10th July Whole School Sports Evening

LITTLE BEARS NEWS:
Little Bears will be continuing with the ‘Holidays’ theme by looking at different ways of travelling to our holidays, making Little Bear passports and using maps and the globe to see the different countries we might visit.
On Friday 19th June Little Bears will be holding a ‘Strawberry Fayre’ in the garden starting at 3pm . All are welcome and more details are available on the posters outside of Little Bears

Advance Notice of Summer Sports Courses at Stadhampton School
Michael Hopkins, a qualified PE teacher, will be leading two sports courses here during the summer break. The courses will be on the following dates: Monday 20th July, Tuesday 21st July and Wednesday 22nd July, and also Monday 10th August, Tuesday 11th August and Wednesday 12th August. The cost is £10 per day from 9-3pm and the course is open to all pupils aged 4-11. Pupils may attend for any or all of the days. Bookings may be made directly to m.hopkins07@hotmail.com or via Mrs Hopkins in the school office. Please see attached poster.